Cape May Whale Watcher Spots 35-Foot Humpback Whale

The passengers on the Cape May Whale Watcher tour certainly got their money's worth on Tuesday.

The company posted on Facebook that they spotted a "35-foot-long humpback whale with 80 bottlenose dolphins offshore of Cape May, NJ, today."

I've been following Cape May Whale Watcher on social media for years, and they seem to have great luck with outstanding sightings just a few miles off the coast.

Their record sighting—the one they still talk about on the Cape May Whale Watcher—happened in 2024, when passengers spotted the largest animal on Earth, a blue whale.

A blue whale is recognized by its towering 50-foot white spout, mottled blue-gray skin, and tiny dorsal fin. That amazing sighting marked an unprecedented first for the tour company.

How Rare is Seeing a 35-Foot-Long Humpback Whale in Cape May?

Surprisingly, it's not that rare to see a humpback whale of that size in the waters off Cape May.

The crew frequently encounters enormous mega-pods, including a record-worthy sighting of 250+ bottlenose dolphins swarming an area alongside a 35- to 40-foot humpback whale offshore.

Experts say a 35-foot humpback whale is not rare. In fact, it is a completely standard size for a young or newly mature humpback whale.

While fully grown adult humpbacks typically reach average lengths of 45 to 52 feet, a 35-foot individual is probably a juvenile or a young adult whale.

But it is still really cool to see one up close, especially when it's showing off a little bit like this whale did on Tuesday by letting us see its fluke, or back fin, as it swam away.

Take a look at this video courtesy of the Cape May Whale Watcher, and look them up for a fun day making sightings of your own off the coast of Cape May.